Introduction It’s certainly not news that times have been tough across America’s cities in recent years. The Great Recession may be officially over, but many communities are still suffering a painful hangover.
Not these MSAs, though. Area Development's Leading Locations have found a way to thrive in the midst of adversity, to prosper while so many places have struggled. More than 9 million jobs vanished during the course of the downturn, and of the 365 MSAs — Metropolitan Statistical Areas — studied here, more than three-quarters still have fewer people working now than they did five years ago. But even amid that gloom, there were blooms of prosperity, and there are some places that have gotten back on their feet faster than others.
